Lock assembly operable by a panic handle

Abstract: A lock assembly fittable to a door wing and composed of a lock (1) presenting a spring latch (6), a tilting bolt (5), and rods (17, 18) controlling ties for operating two tilting bolts (5a, 5b) below and above the lock (1); and of a panic handle (71) presenting a plate (86) which fits inside an opening (67) in an appendix (66) of a plate (55), and, when moved, withdraws the spring latch (6) and the bolts (5, 5a, 5b) to release the lock (1).

Description: The present invention relates to a lock assembly comprising a lock and panic handle, and fittable to a door or similar. The state of the art is already familiar with assemblies featuring a panic handle and a spring latch lock. A major drawback of such assemblies, however, is the lack of security provided for, due to the ease with which the lock may be forced. In most panic handle applications, therefore, the door is fitted with a lock assembly comprising a first lock with a spring latch only and operated by the panic handle, and a second lock with a bolt. The French patent application FR-A- 2 581 692 (EMERY) illustrates the preamble portion of the present claim 1. In particular, this document illustrates a lock assembly comprising: a lock featuring at least a first bolt movable between a withdrawn and an extended position; a slide connected to the first bolt and movable by key-operated activating means, for moving the first bolt between the withdrawn and the extended position; and a spring latch movable by handle-operated activating means between an extended position, normally maintained by elastic means, and a withdrawn position; and a panic handle linked to the spring latch, and movable between an idle position and an operating position wherein the spring latch is released. The known lock assembly also comprises means for controlling the slide and operated by the panic handle, for moving the first bolt from the extended position to the withdrawn position when the panic handle is moved from the idle position to the operating position. A drawback of the known lock assembly is that assembly of the combined panic handle and lock case is quite complicated. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lock assembly operable by a panic handle, adequately resistant to forcing, and designed to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks typically associated with known lock assemblies. According to the present invention, there is provided a lock assembly as defined in claim 1. Particular embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. A preferred non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view, with first parts removed for clarity, of a lock in the closed position and forming part of a lock assembly in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front view, with first parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 lock in the open position; Figure 3 shows a front view, with second parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 lock in the closed position; Figure 4 shows a front view, with second parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 lock in the open position; Figure 5 shows a side view of a mechanism for activating a panic handle forming part of a lock assembly in accordance with the present invention; Figure 6 shows a schematic view of a door-mounted lock assembly in accordance with the present invention. Number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates a lock operable in known manner by means of a key and handle, openable by means of a panic handle, and forming part of a lock assembly in accordance with the present invention; which lock assembly is particularly suitable for fitment to emergency exit doors, for rapidly vacating and aerating the premises by operating the panic handle from the inside. Lock 1 is preferably recessed (Figure 6) in a surrounding frame portion of a door 10 closed against a fixed wing, and presents a particularly small overall width. As lock 1 comprises substantially known parts, only those specifically relating to the object of the present invention will be described in detail. Lock 1 is defined externally by a first front wall 2 and second rear wall 2a of sheet metal, and by a lateral wall defined by an elongated plate 3 screwed to threaded seats formed in two plates 4, 4a fitted to opposite end portions of lock 1, between walls 2 and 2a. Lock 1 comprises a strong tilting bolt 5 and a spring latch 6, both movable outwards to engage respective openings formed in lateral wall 3, as well as respective openings formed in a second elongated plate similar to that of lock 1 and fitted to the fixed wing of the door. Lock 1 also comprises a slide 7 movable in a substantially vertical direction and presenting a first pin 8 extending towards wall 2, and a pin (not shown) extending in the opposite direction and engaging a recess (not shown) formed in a corresponding front surface of bolt 5, for defining the angular limit stop positions of bolt 5. Slide 7 comprises a central portion 11 with a longitudinal cam slot 12; and a substantially C-shaped bottom portion 13 defining a seat 9 facing inwards of door 10. Bolt 5 presents a transverse through hole engaged by a cylindrical hinge pin 14 supported on walls 2, 2a and cooperating with slot 12; and a first and second control pin 15 and 16 extending towards wall 2a. Lock 1 also comprises a first bottom and second top transmission rod 17 and 18 sliding vertically and connected to respective ties (not shown) for activating a further two tilting bolts 5a, 5b below and above lock 1 respectively. More specifically, connection to the ties is made by means of tabs 19 fitted to respective ends of rods 17 and 18 provided with circular connecting holes 21. Tilting bolts 5a, 5b are so arranged as to engage, in the forward position, respective openings formed in elongated plate 3, and similarly shaped corresponding openings formed in the fixed wing of the door. The component parts of the above linkages are of known type and therefore require no further description. Rod 17 comprises a first transverse slot 22 engaged by first control pin 15; and a longitudinal slot 23 cooperating with a pin 24 fitted to plate 4a and for fitting plate 4a in wall 2a and guiding rod 17. The bottom portion of rod 18 presents a second transverse slot 25 engaged by second control pin 16; and the intermediate portion of rod 18 is defined by a straight outer lateral edge 26 cooperating with a corresponding flat surface of a plate 27 fitted to wall 2 and for guiding the vertical movement of rod 18. Spring latch 6 is activated by means of linkages comprising a pin 28 rotated about a transverse axis 31 by a handle (not shown) engaging a square hole 29 of pin 28 and projecting on one side of door 10. Pin 28 integrally comprises a first and second substantially radial cam 32 and 33 defining two angular limit stop positions of pin 28 against a threaded metal block 34 integral with wall 2a. The same lateral surface of pin 28 presents a portion defining a recess engaged by the forked end of a rod 37. Rod 37 extends longitudinally from pin 28 to a block 36 integral with wall 2, and forms the guide of a spring 38 for restoring pin 28 to the Figure 1 position, corresponding to the closed position of spring latch 6, as described below. A first lever 39, on the wall 2 side, and a second lever 40, on the wall 2a side, pivot on opposite ends of pin 28; lever 39 being fitted in angularly idle manner to pin 28 and presenting a second pin 48 projecting towards wall 2; and lever 40 being fitted prismatically to pin 28. Levers 39 and 40 present respective arms 41 and 42 for activating spring latch 6 and which normally cooperate with plate 27 by virtue of spring 38. Spring latch 6 is fitted with a screw 43, the shank 44 of which is fitted through a hole in plate 27. Arms 41 and 42 cooperate with a plate 45 sliding axially along screw 43 and interposed between arms 41, 42 and the head 46 of screw 43. Between plate 27 and spring latch 6, a spring 47 is fitted about shank 44, for restoring spring latch 6 to the outwardly-extending position shown in Figure 1. Lock 1 is activated by an assembly comprising a cylinder 50 fitted through respective openings 51 through walls 2 and 2a, rotated in known manner by means of a key (not shown), and presenting a dog 52 cooperating with seat 9 in portion 13 of slide 7. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, outside wall 2, there is provided an elongated plate 55 movable longitudinally and presenting two straight longitudinal slots 56 and 57 engaged by respective guide pins 58 and 59 projecting from and integral with plate 2. Plate 55 presents a slot 60 at pin 28, and the bottom portion 61 of plate 55 presents a straight longitudinal opening 62 engaged by first pin 8 of slide 7. The top portion 63 of plate 55 is defined by an inclined edge 64 cooperating with second pin 48 of lever 39 projecting from a curved through slot 65 in wall 2. On the opposite side to bolt 5, plate 55 also presents a lateral appendix 66 extending inwards of lock 1 and presenting a straight transverse through slot defining an opening 67. With reference to Figure 5, number 71 indicates, in the idle position, a known panic handle fitted to the inside of door 10. Panic handle 71 comprises a pair of lateral arms 74 hinged to respective supports 73 fitted to door 10; and a horizontal bar 76 connecting lateral arms 74. Figure 5 shows a detailed view of one of arms 74 associated with lock 1, and the relative lock activating device. More specifically, one of supports 73 is fitted to door 10 at lock 1, and the respective arm 74 controls lock 1 as described below. Said support 73 presents a central wall 68 fitted to door 10; and a pair of parallel lateral walls 69 supporting a transverse pin 72 to which arm 74 is hinged. A vertical pin 79, along which a block 77 slides, is fitted inside support 73 by means of a top and bottom bracket 80 and 81; and block 77 is fitted by means of two screws 85 with a plate 86 having an appendix 88 projecting through an opening 87 in wall 68 of support 73, and engaging opening 67 in plate 55 of lock 1. Arm 74 presents a substantially rounded-triangular-shaped end cam 75 cooperating with one of screws 85 and which provides for moving block 77 upwards along pin 79 when arm 74 is rotated downwards by pressure on bar 76. The above movement is effected in opposition to a spring 89 which, together with known elastic means (not shown) acting on arm 74, normally maintains block 77 contacting bracket 81 to define the idle position of panic handle 71. Since operation of lock 1 is known as regards key control of bolt 5 and handle control of spring latch 6, operation of the lock assembly according to the present invention will now be described in detail only as regards the specific object of the invention. Very briefly, as of the open position of bolt 5 shown in Figure 2, when cylinder 50 is rotated by means of a key, slide 7 is moved substantially vertically to rotate bolt 5 into the closed position (Figure 1); and spring latch 6 is maintained in the extracted position by spring 47. Opening control by means of panic handle 71 according to the present invention will now be described in detail as of the Figure 1 position of lock 1. From inside the premises, bar 76 of panic handle 71 is operated to rotate arm 74 and, as described above, move plate 86 upwards; and appendix 88 of plate 86 engaged inside opening 67 in plate 55 draws plate 55 upwards along wall 2 of lock 1 from the Figure 3 to the Figure 4 position. Purely longitudinal movement of plate 55 is assured by pins 58 and 59 sliding inside the guides defined by respective slots 56 and 57; and, as it moves upwards, plate 55 draws up first pin 8 engaged inside slot 62, and slides second pin 48 along inclined edge 64. Pin 8, integral with slide 7, moves slide 7 upwards, and guides anticlockwise rotation of bolt 5 about pin 14, so that bolt 5 moves from the extended position in Figure 1 to the withdrawn position in Figure 2; and first and second control pins 15 and 16, which rotate integral with bolt 5, draw transmission rods 17 and 18 from the extended position in Figure 1 to the withdrawn position in Figure 2, thus transmitting the movement in known manner to the respective ties which open respective tilting bolts 5a, 5b below and above lock 1. The longitudinal upward movement of inclined edge 64 slides second pin 48 along slot 65 in wall 2 (Figures 3 and 4); pin 48, integral with arm 41 of first lever 39, rotates lever 39 anticlockwise about pin 28; and arm 41, acting on screw 43 in opposition to spring 47, moves spring latch 6 from the extended position in Figure 1 to the withdrawn position in Figure 2. When the pressure on bar 76 is released, panic handle 71, plate 75 and block 77 are restored elastically to the idle position in Figure 5 by sliding plate 86 longitudinally downwards together with plate 55, by virtue of appendix 88 engaging appendix 66 of plate 55. Being integral with arm 41 of first lever 39, which is restored by spring 47 to the idle position in Figure 1, second pin 48 slides along slot 65 and up along inclined edge 64 to restore spring latch 6 to the extended position. At the same time, the longitudinal downward movement of slot 62 does not affect the position of pin 8, so that bolt 5 and transmission rods 17 and 18 remain in the withdrawn position. To open the lock assembly from outside the premises, two different operations must be performed to withdraw bolts, 5, 5a, 5b and spring latch 6 respectively by means of the key, as described above, and by means of the handle. More specifically, using the key, cylinder 50 is rotated so that dog 52, engaging seat 9 in slide 7, moves slide 7 upwards, guided longitudinally by pin 8 sliding inside slot 62. In exactly the same way as for opening the lock from inside the door, the upward movement of slide 7 rotates bolt 5 and withdraws rods 17 and 18 to open lock 1. Pin 8 sliding freely inside slot 62 has no effect on plate 55, so that the position of panic handle 71 and pin 48 remains unchanged. To release spring latch 6 from the outside, pin 28 is rotated using a conventional handle (not shown) prismatically engaging square hole 29; and lever 40, also connected prismatically to pin 28, releases spring latch 6 by acting on screw 43 by means of arm 42. In this case, the position of first lever 39, connected in angularly idle manner to pin 28, and of pin 48 remains unchanged. The advantages of the lock assembly according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. In particular, operation of the panic handle provides for releasing both the three bolts and the spring latch, thus enabling the door to be opened from the inside even when the key-operated lock is engaged. Moreover, despite being opened easily from the inside, as described above, the lock assembly according to the present invention, by featuring three bolts at three different locations on the door, provides for adequately safeguarding against forced entry using any type of tool inserted between the door and the lock assembly.

Claims: A lock assembly comprising: a lock (1) featuring at least one first bolt (5) movable between a withdrawn and an extended position; a slide (7) connected to said at least one first bolt (5) and movable by key-operated activating means, for moving said at least one first bolt (5) between said withdrawn and said extended position; and a spring latch (6) movable by handle-operated activating means between an extended position, normally maintained by elastic means, and a withdrawn position; and a panic handle (71) linked to said spring latch (6), and movable between an idle position and an operating position wherein said spring latch (6) is released; lock assembly characterised in that it comprises an activating mechanism controlled by said panic handle (71), said activating mechanism comprising an activating element (86) in inserted engagement, upon said panic handle (71) being mounted together with said lock (1), with an opening (67) provided on a sliding plate (55) and displaceable upon operation of said panic handle (71), so as to cause through said engagement said sliding plate (55) to slide, said sliding plate (55) being operatively linked to said spring latch (6) and to said at least one first bolt (5). A lock assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein it further comprises at least one second bolt (5a, 5b) connected to said at least one first bolt (5) of said lock (1) by means of longitudinally-sliding transmission rods (17, 18). A lock assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said sliding plate (55) is further operatively linked to said at least one second bolt (5a, 5b) connected to said at least one first bolt (5) of said lock (1) by means of longitudinally-sliding transmission rods (17, 18). A lock assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or in Claim 2, wherein said means for activating said spring latch (6) comprise a first lever (39) linked to said spring latch (6) and having a second pin (48) cooperating with said plate (55). A lock assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or in Claim 2, wherein said plate (55) presents an inclined edge (64) cooperating with said second pin (48). A lock assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or in Claim 2, wherein said means for activating said spring latch (6) comprise a pin (28) connected prismatically to an external handle; said first lever (39) being fitted in angularly idle manner to said pin (28). A lock assembly as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said means for activating said spring latch (6) comprise a second lever (40) linked to said spring latch (6) and connected prismatically to said pin (28). A lock assembly as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said at least one first bolt (5) is a tilting bolt. A lock assembly as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said activating mechanism comprises means for guiding said activating element (86); and cam means integral with said panic handle (71) and cooperating with said activating element (86), for converting rotation of said panic handle into linear movement of said activating element (86).

Inventors: CAVESTRI ELIO, CAVESTRI, ELIO
Applicants: NUOVA F E B FABBRICA ELETTROAP, NUOVA F.E.B. - FABBRICA ELETTROAPPARECCHIATURE BOLOGNA S.R.L.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: E05B65
IPC codes: E05B63, E05B59, E05B65